There wasn't any apparent need for an Ark as the Hash assembled in Shillington for the last evening run of the year. After a week of very hot, dry weather, the farmers were beginning to complain that it was too arrid to plant the next crop (...now that their harvest is safely in)!

Introducing the run, the hares mentioned that part of it was marked on private land with the permission of the farmers and urged that hashers stick to the trail. With sunset expected some 40 minutes after the start, they also were concerned about runners being lost in the dark and advised heading for the church, which would be floodlit and visible from a distance. The hares also admitted that their 10th anniversary was fast approaching. The circle welcomed a number of local Newbies (who were briefed by Ringer on the Hash's use of arcane symbols to mark the trail) and some returning hashers from Cambridge.

Unusually, the run had no false trails and only one fishook. The main trail was expected to take just over an hour and was planned with runners in mind. A short-cut was provided to get those scared of the dark back to the pub in time for an extra beer. Apart from the plastic cow, there were no farm-animals to be seen on this run (though the hares had chased a group of pea-hens, when setting the trail). Between the reconnoitre walk and setting the trail a portion of the trail which ran round the edge of a field had been ploughed – which unfortunately made the going too difficult for those wanting to run.

Despite the hares' worries everybody made it safely back to the pub, though it was getting dark. The hares, the newbies, and a number of miscreants were awarded down-downs. The returnees from Cambridge made the pitch for their 2017 away weekend in May next year (see H5 website for details) after bribing the HM and GM with T-shirts.